December 10, 2020 – Recently, the Illinois Community College Board (ICCB) granted $18.7 million dollars to community colleges statewide in order to help address education and unemployment gaps in the African American and other minority communities. The funding will be used across 17 community colleges throughout the state that serve larger African American populations under Illinois’ Workforce Equity Initiative. Richland Community College received $960,170.
Richland’s EnRich Program has benefited from the lllinois’ Workforce Equity Initiative and is a prime example of how these free training programs can change lives by connecting individuals to employment and livable wages, resulting in stronger communities. EnRich completers are 64% minority, with 57% classified as African American, 79% male, and 43% African American Male. A total of 89% of EnRich participants who completed the program were hired by major local employers. Of those, 80% remain employed.
Dr. Cristobal Valdez, President, said “Even we have been a bit surprised by the extremely high levels of completion and employment persistence that have resulted from the EnRich program, and we are dedicated to continuing these and other training programs that we believe can exact positive change for both the participants and the communities Richland serves.”
Rev. Courtney Carson, Executive Director of External Affairs and director of the Enrich Program, added “I believe EnRich has been successful because we are committed to diversity, inclusion, and equity. Our EnRich Programs are designed to produce well-rounded and well-trained employment-ready individuals that can grow with the local companies that employ them.”
While the first year of the initiative was impacted by the current health crisis, demand remained high with 1,840 Illinoisans (78% African American) enrolling in the spring of 2020.
